3-Hydroxypropanal is a useful chemical intermediate. It can be readily converted to 1,3-propanediol which finds use as an intermediate in the production of polyester fibers and films.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,819 and No. 3,456,017 teach a process for the hydroformylation of ethylene oxide to produce 1,3-propanediol and 3-hydroxypropanal using a tertiary phosphine-modified cobalt carbonyl catalysts.
Prior art processes produce mixtures of 3-hydroxypropanal and 1,3-propanediol with 3-hydroxypropanal predominating in the mixture. It is an object of this invention to use an improved catalyst system comprising cobalt-tertiary phosphine ligand catalyst in combination with a ruthenium catalyst to hydroformylate ethylene oxide in a single step to 3-hydroxypropanal and 1,3-propanediol, with 1,3-propanediol predominating in the product.